David Fitzgerald

David Fitzgerald

David Fitzgerald passed away Friday, July 6, 2012 at home with his family by his side after a short battle with cancer.
David was born September 25, 1935, the oldest son of Walter “Bud” and Edris Fitzgerald.
He attended public schools in Bellingham, WA and spent two years at Western Washington University before going to the University of Washington where he received a B.A. in Business Administration. He worked for Sherman-Williams until he had to take over his father’s painting business. He worked on fishing boats to finance his education.
In 1966, he decided he’d really rather be teaching, and David went back to Western for a one-year teaching certificate and his Master’s Degree. It was while he was doing this, he met his future wife, Alice. They discovered they were both going to be starting their teaching careers in Sedro-Woolley where their friendship turned into a romance. They were married on June 6, 1969. David got both a wife and a teenage daughter, Lisa, at the same time.
David taught at Mary Purcell School for thirty years. During that time, they acquired five grandsons, Blaine, Cody, Wyatt, Tucker and d’Artagnon, and granddaughter, Morgan Elizabeth.
He loved teaching, encouraging his students to be the very best people they could be, and to do well in the world.
David was active in his local Sedro-Woolley Education Association and served for several years on the Washington Education Association (WEA) Board working for better student education.
He served on the Washington State Salary Commission as well as being chairman of the building committee when WEA sold it’s old building in downtown Seattle and moved, but his main interest was teaching kids. His classroom had the first elementary computer lab, where students learned to program on the old Texas Instruments with black and white TVs as monitors.
David was a wonderful and loving grandfather. He lived for those kids and they returned his love.
David is survived by his wife, Alice, at the family home, with his daughter, Li Gold living nearby, his six grandchildren, two granddaughters-in-law, and six great grandchildren. Grandchildren are Blaine and his wife, Chrissi Boisvert, two great grandchildren, Alexis and Jordyn; Cody and his wife, Jessica Sedgewick, four great grandchildren, Naomi, Sawyer, Sadie and soon to be here, Hudson; Morgan Sedgewick; Wyatt and Tucker Russ; and not least, d’Artangnon Schneider. He has one brother, Danny and his wife, Vonnie Fitzgerald, and their daughters Tracy and her husband Mike, and Kathy and her husband, Phil, and eight great nieces and nephews, and one special sister-in-law, Mavis Scott, of Acme, WA.
A Celebration of Life will be held at 3:30, Saturday, July 14, 2012 at the family home, 12447 Rainier Drive, Burlington

Guestbook

Mr. Fitzgerald was my 5th and 6th grade teacher, and one of my favorites. He gave me confidence when no one else did. I always appreciated his no nonsense straightforward, yet lighthearted approach to teaching. I’m sorry to hear of his passing.

Alice, I was deeply saddened by the news of David’s death. He and my father were so closely tied that with David’s passing, I feel like a part of my father’s history passed with him. Many memories of my earlier life involve the ring of the telephone followed by, “It’s Dave Fitzgerald,” or “It’s Alice.” We rarely actually crossed paths other than on the phone line, but one memory of your husband will always be with me. During one of their many political adventures, Daddy and David were diligently painting enormous campaign signs in our neighbor’s open-sided barn. I, as an early 20-something, was asked to deliver something to them, so I jumped in the car and dashed to where they were. As the car came to a quick stop at the end of the dirt and gravel road, I jumped out around the same time the cloud of dust behind me arrived. As the tiny particles filtered past me and settled on the sign David had been toiling over, he stepped back and we all stood watching. Then he quietly said, “I wish you hadn’t done that.” I left more slowly than I came and can still see your husband standing there as I disappeared. I imagine his chest raised in a deep sigh and then, as he would, he went back to work. His and your enduring friendship meant much to my father. I am sorry for your loss and the void his passing leaves in your life.

After many years, Mr. Fitzgerald is the one teacher I still say is my favorite. I remember being afraid to be in his class ( I even tried to get out of it), turns out he was the BEST teacher. He was encouraging and tough, made jokes about his left handed scribble on the board, and gave his students the confidence that they could be whatever they wanted to be. I am sorry for your loss and very grateful I didn’t get out of that class.

There is always one teacher who stands out in a child’s education and that teacher was Mr. Fitzgerald. My daughter, Amanda, was in his 6th grade class in 1984 where she was first introduced to computers. I just want his family to know that Amanda and I are thinking of him and appreciate what a caring man he was.

Please accept my sincere condolences. May you find comfort in knowing that one day we will reunite with our love ones. John 5:28,29 This is a promise from God. May this message console you during these trouble times.

Dear Aunt Alice,
Thinking of you so much these past couple weeks. Please know you are in our hearts and prayers, as are Lisa and all the grandkids. Thank you so much for allowing me to see David at the hospital, I wanted so to tell him what a positive contribution he made to my life! I have such fond memories of both of you at Mary Purcell, and also at our family gatherings through the years. He was a wonderful, positive light in this world, and everyone who knew him is so much better for it.

Alice,
I am so sorry for your loss, David was a great teacher I always remember my first day of school and how he took me in and made me feel welcome and safe. Watching morning cartoons with him before the bell rang and teaching me how to build model planes.You both are great teachers and personaly i learned more from the both of you than any other and i thank you for that.our prayer are with you the Noble family